According to Variety, the new ‘Karate Kid’ will be Hollywood actor Ben Wang, who previously appeared in the series ‘American Born Chinese’.
Wang got the sought-after job following a global hunt that saw hundreds of young performers from all around the world compete for the title role in Sony’s upcoming ‘Karate Kid’ film, which stars Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio. According to studio insiders, Ben Wang produced a stunning audition performance that revealed his strong connection to the character.
According to Variety, the actor is proficient in a variety of martial arts, including Karate, Wing Chun/Kung Fu, Gumdo, Kempo, and Taekwando. He also speaks Mandarin fluently.
Chan and Macchio, who launched the casting call in a video in November, will reprise their iconic ‘Karate Kid’ roles in the second installment.
According to Variety, Macchio will reprise his role as Daniel LaRusso from the original ‘Karate Kid’ film trilogy and the series ‘Cobra Kai,’ while Chan will play Mr. Han, a Kung Fu master from the 2010 remake film starring Jaden Smith.
The film is slated to hit theaters on December 13, 2024.
The film will be directed by Jonathan Entwistle, the creator and director of Netflix’s ‘I Am Not Okay With This’ and ‘The End of the F–ing World.’ The screenplay will be written by ‘Peter Rabbit’ scribe Rob Lieber, and Karen Rosenfelt will produce, according to Variety.